How to Make a Basic Apple Press

Making apple juice at home is a simple process with an apple press.

Apple presses can be incredibly complicated affairs, but it is not necessary to break out all the hydraulics in the garage to assemble one. Long before hydraulics were invented, people enjoyed the sweet flavor of apple juice and cider with some fairly simple presses made of easy-to-locate lumber, screws and cloth bags. A basic apple press makes for a great weekend project for anyone with an apple orchard or access to lots of juicy apples.

Things You'll Need

• Two 18-by-18-by-3/4-inch pieces of untreated pine plywood
• Three 15-by-15-by-3/4-inch pieces of untreated pine plywood
• Five 1 1/2-by-18-by-3/4-inch pieces of untreated pine plywood
• Four 6-by-18-by-3/4-inch pieces of untreated pine plywood
• Vegetable oil and applicator
• Power drill with drill bit to match bolts
• Power screwdriver
• 1-inch long screws
• Two 1/2-inch long screws
• Four 22-inch carriage bolts
• Four 22-inch wing nuts
• Four 22-inch washers
• Three muslin bags
• Bucket to catch cider

Instructions

1. Coat all sides of each wooden piece with vegetable oil and allow to dry completely. You can skip this step if you wish, but coating the wooden pieces gives them better resistance to the liquid and allows for a longer life.

2. Attach two of the 1 1/2-by-18-by-3/4-inch pieces to one 18-by-18-by-3/4-inch board with 1-inch screws. The 1 1/2-inch boards should run perpendicular to the grain of the larger board and lay flush with the edges of the board. This step creates the top board of the apple press.

3. Attach two 1 1/2 boards as in Step 2 for another 18-by-18-by-3/4-inch board (this creates the bottom with slats for feet). Attach another 1 1/2-inch board across the feet of the bottom board, parallel to the grain of the main board, so as to create a gentle slope.

4. Attach three of the 6-by-18-by-3/4-inch boards around the bottom board, creating a cradle for the bags of apples, using 2 1/2-inch screws. Leave the lowest side for last (this uses the remaining board).

5. Cut a section from the fourth 6-by-18-by-3/4-inch board to match the bucket you intend to drain your apple juice into. A hole smaller than 6 inches is ideal, but it may need to be smaller, depending on the width of your bucket. Attach this section of board using 2 1/2-inch screws, placing the drain hole in the middle. Caulk the corners of the boards if desired.

6. Drill two holes through both bottom feet as near to the corners as possible. This is where your carriage bolts go, so make the holes to fit the hardware. Drill matching holes through the top board and match them perfectly. Wash the carriage bolts well (they may have minimal contact with the juice) before inserting them through the bottom section, with the thread facing up. Caulk around the bolt entry to prevent dribbles.

7. Fill three muslin bags with crushed apples. Lay the first bag flat in the bottom of the press. Next, add one of the 15-by-15-by-3/4-inch boards. Layer with another bag of apples, then another board. For the last bag of apples, use the top section to cover, lacing the bolts through the holes and adding a washer to each bolt and finishing with a wing nut on each bolt.

8. Place the bucket below the apple press and tighten the wing nuts until juice starts to come out. When the juice flow slows, tighten the wing nuts again. Repeat until no more juice comes out.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean and lint free tea towels can be used in place of muslin bags.

• Press your apple pulp somewhere you can make a mess, as pressing apple juice requires some practice.

References

• The Rose Hill Cider Press
• Jeff Summit's Cider Press
• Mother Earth News: How to Build a Cider Press